Espada
by bamboostix
Summary: Modern Champloo tale, to make up for me deleting my previous story "Mirror". Mugen is a professional assassin who would much rather put Fuu before his career. However, things never seem to go how he wants it, & before he knows it, he's gone. AU, Fuugen
1. Chapter 1

**A/N **To everyone who was reading my old Samurai Champloo fic "Mirror", sorry, but I ended up deleting it. It wasn't going anywhere, and it was meant to be only a oneshot in the first place. So, to make up for it, I decided to write this story called "Espada" (it means "sword" in Spanish and "ten blades" in Japanese}, which is a modernized Fuugenesque drama/romance. Again, I'm sorry for ditching "Mirror", but it really was just dragging on and on. So on that note, please enjoy "Espada". R&R!

Chapter 1: Selfish

_Jin was woken up by a frantic knocking at his door, pounding through his studio apartment and making him jolt upwards, nearly falling off of his couch in the living room. Bewildered, he reached over to the coffee table and snatched up his glasses, fumbling to get them on correctly. He glanced at his wristwatch and raised a brow at the time. 11:30 PM._

_ Confused, he got up and shuffled over to the door, dressed in comfortable blue pants and a loose white long-sleeve shirt. Muttering to himself as to who could be pounding on his door like a maniac at this time of night, he opened the door to find a distressed-looking Fuu, tears streaming down her face. She was soaked from the rain falling outside, but she didn't seem to care about that at the moment._

_ "Jin! Have you seen Mugen?" she asked, her brown hair messy and disheveled. She looked barely put together in a pink and black sweatshirt and ripped up jeans & Converse-style sneakers. _

_ Jin blinked and immediately realized what she was talking about. "He left for the airport about 20 minutes ago...I'm assuming you need a ride?"_

_ Fuu nodded quickly before bursting into tears again. She slumped into Jin's chest, surprising him. He let her stay there, wondering if it were possible to even fathom what she was feeling at that very second._

_ "He's leaving...I can't believe he's leaving..."she mumbled into Jin's shoulder between sobs._

_ "I don't think that he's gone yet. If we hurry, you may be able to see him." Jin gently removed himself from Fuu's grasp and hurried around his apartment, getting dressed and looking for his car keys. Fuu sniffled and walked over to the couch, plopping down and resting her face into her hands in defeat. She was out of tears for the moment; all she could do was wait for Jin and listen to the rain tapping against the roof outside. She reached for the silver locket that hung around her neck and read the words inscribed on it: Eternity isn't enough. She treasured that locket more than any of her other possessions-it was a gift from Mugen for her 17th birthday last year. To this day, she never knew how he could afford a locket made of pure silver, but she didn't really care about how he got it, but the simple fact that he could do something so thoughtful. For her, no less..._

_ "Let's go."_

_ Fuu spun around and saw Jin at the door, dressed in jeans and a black leather jacket. He was holding his keys in one hand, the door in the other._

_ Fuu jumped up, nearly tripping over her own feet, and hurriedly ran over to Jin. As the door shut behind them, she could only hope that they weren't too late._

…_..._

_ Impatiently, Mugen stood in line at the exit gates, looking at his watch. 11:35. 'Damn,' he thought. 'I'm not gonna get there anywhere near on time at this rate...' Exasperated, he ran a hand through his thick crop of unruly dark hair._

_ 'Fuu's gonna hate me for this,' he thought with a sigh. He gazed absentmindedly out the window and became entranced by the rainfall outside, giving the night an air of beauty and enigmatic aura. He always enjoyed the rain to some degree-it was appealing to him in some strange way. He remembered how Fuu would always tell him how she thought that scenes in movies where people kissed in the rain was so romantic, and how he'd always laugh to himself at her way of finding cliches to be so astounding. They were so different in so many ways, and yet similar as well._

_ He hated himself for letting her end up falling for him. He was an assassin, a killer for hire for Christ's sake. Either she was just plain stupid for falling for him, or he was a monster for letting her do so. Hell, maybe both. All things considered though, he loved her so much, and frankly, it pissed him off that he let this girl-a girl, no less-weasel her way into his heart and tear it up into shreds with her childish love for him. It was stupid, he thought. But then again, love itself was pretty stupid in its own way._

_ "Sir, may I help you?"_

_ Mugen was broken out of his trance at the ticket woman asked for his ticket and passport. He reached in his coat pocket and pulled out a ticket for New York City from Tokyo, along with his passport, which of course had fake credentials. The woman allowed him to pass once everything was cleared. He mumbled a halfhearted thanks to her as he whipped up his hood and headed out to catch his plane, when he heard something in the distance that nearly made his heart stop._

_ "Mugen!"_

_ He recognized Fuu's small voice sounding from afar, though he couldn't exactly pinpoint from where. He momentarily pulled down his hood and looked back, but all he saw was a vast sea of people whom he never saw before in his life. Irritated, he shut his eyes and clenched his teeth, figuring that he was just imagining things. Hesitantly, he trekked out to catch his plane, being greeted by the roaring of the planes turbines. Part of him thought he was just losing it and missing her already. But even as he boarded the plane and took his seat at the window, a small force in his heart was nagging at him, urging him to go back and check for Fuu one last time before voyaging across the globe to assassinate his target in New York. He sighed, thinking that he really was just imagining things as the pilot made his announcements. He was leaving, that was it, and hopefully he'd return someday, that was it. _

_ "Maybe I am just crazy," he muttered as the plane began its departure._

…_..._

_ Fuu stopped running and felt her entire body slump, as if a balloon was being deflated of helium. Her chocolate eyes sparkled with freshly formed tears as Jin caught up with her, realizing the stark reality of what just happened. They didn't make it. And this was it. It was over._

_ Jin looked down at Fuu as he deliberated on what to say. There really wasn't much that could be done to make Fuu even indifferent, let alone consolable. His mouth was clasped in a tight thin line as a sigh escaped through his nose. Fuu's face was cast down as her eyes focused on the floor, trying to keep from going into sheer hysteria as a lone tear rolled down her cheek, sparking like a diamond ad it hit the ground._

_ "...Fuu-"_

_ "He didn't even stop."_

_ Jin blinked at Fuu, trying to comprehend what she just said. Mugen was in love with Fuu-in fact, he even confided in Jin his plans to marry her as soon as he left the hitman business. If he knew that Fuu was here, looking for him no less, why would he just leave her here to wallow in her misery as he traveled God knows where?_

_ When Fuu looked up at Jin, Jin could swear that he could feel a surge of pain and empathy surge through his heart and course through his entire body upon seeing her face. Her normally bright brown eyes were a dull, lifeless mud shade, her face went from its usual rose tone to a deathly pale, almost gray, and she looked like she was dying on the inside. The diamond tears continued to cascade down her face and drop, each as heart-wrenching as the last. _

_ "He didn't stop. I called him, and he didn't even stop." Her voice was so monotonous and bleak that Jin felt the urge to take her to a doctor and see what was wrong with her. It was as if a piece of her heart had departed and left on that plane as well. Usually, he would think of some comforting words to say to her, but at this point, there wasn't really anything that could be said or done to help her, aside from Mugen magically returning at that very second, which was definitely not possible._

_ "Look...you can stay with Shino if you like," Jin said quietly, Fuu didn't say a word, just gave the slightest of nods at his statement, her gaze focused intently at the gates, as if she was waiting for Mugen to return at that moment once more. She could feel herself falling in a tumultuous sea of hopeless indifference, fear, rage, and sadness that was indescribable at this point. It was as if she was drowning, feeling her soul slip away in the crashing waves of the sea, lost to wherever the ocean would carry her. _

_ She was gone with no return in sight._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Dollhouse

_8 years later..._

The streets of Tokyo were covered by a gray mist as rain continued to fall from the large gray clouds, casting a beautiful yet enigmatic air on the city. The bright vibrant signs that illuminated the streets contrasted against the inky shades of grays and blacks that veiled the vast city, and strangely enough, there actually weren't many people out on the sidewalks, with the exception of a few people here and there. One might call it relatively odd, if not somewhat disturbing, to see so little people out in such a large city, rain or not.

However, the absence of crowded streets was the last thing on Fuu's mind. She was gazing out at the rain as she waited at a stoplight, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel to the music playing through her car radio. Her brown hair hung in loose waves down her back and framed her face in what her friends would call a "perfectly planned mess". Fatigue dragged at her entire body, making it an effort to press the gas pedal in her car and cruise down the wet roads when the light signaled to do so.

She looked in her rearview mirror and smiled at her daughter Nami, who was fiddling around with a key chain that hung from her belt loop on her pants, which she called "good luck" The young girl probably defined the word "tomboy"-she had messy chocolate hair that typically remained in a ponytail at the nape of her neck, her wardrobe had no trace of pink whatsoever, and she cringed at the sight of a frilled dress or lacy skirt. Her tanned complexion glowed even in the dull, dark gray evening, and her gray eyes sparkled like pieces of the moon itself. All in all, Nami was Fuu's pride and joy, her main reason for putting up with her pathetic excuse for a fiancee, her main reason for working 11-hour days, 6 days a week. Life may have been better for Fuu at a different time, but Nami made it worth it.

After a good ten minutes or so, Fuu turned off the car's engine as she pulled up to her small 2-bedroom apartment. With a small sigh, she turned around and smiled at her daughter, who sensed this action and looked up.

"We're home," Fuu said in her sing-song voice that could reduce a man to tears with its beauty. Nami's face brightened with a sterling white grin. The girl unclicked her seatbelt, pulled up the hood on her black-and-white striped hoodie, and bounded out of the car and rushing under her mother's large pink umbrella. She looked up at the umbrella and made a small frown.

"Mommy?" she piped up.

Fuu looked down at Nami as she shut the car door and began to walk towards the door to the apartment, Nami on her heels.

"Yes?" Fuu replied.

"Why do you like that gross color pink?"

Fuu giggled as she and Nami stood under the overhang that extended out over the door. "Because that's my favorite color, and I think that it's a beautiful color." She rummaged in her purse and pulled out a set of keys that had way too many keychains and doodads than were necessary. As she opened the door allowing them both inside, Nami shook her head in disagreement.

"Well, I don't," Nami replied. She paused and stared up at the ceiling, her hands in her pockets. "Hmm...I think that red is my favorite color," she finished. She turned to her mother. "I think red is a nice color. Don't you?"

As the mother and daughter ascended the stairs that led to their apartment, Fuu's thoughts began to trace themselves back to Mugen. It was exactly eight years since he left her to go to New York City, and even five years of being without him could make her forget him. She remembered that red was always his favorite color-in fact, everything he owned had some trace of red in it, somehow. She even remembered the one time where he dyed his hair bright red just because he thought she would like it. Of course, she didn't care whatsoever about his hair color, but it was still incredibly sweet (and also funny) that he would do something that ridiculous if it meant a chance that it would make her smile.

"Mommy?"

Fuu was broken from her thoughts as Nami tugged gently at her jacket sleeve. "You never answered my question. Don't you think that red is a cool color?"

Fuu quickly regained her composure and smiled warmly at her child. "Well, if you think red is a cool color, then it must be the coolest color in the universe."

Nami beamed at her mother with her signature wide grin that always made Fuu smile herself. Fuu opened the door to their apartment and allowed her daughter to step inside, but they were both met by ridiculously loud music, thick cigar smoke, and loud guffaws of laughter. Inside was Akio Suzuki, who Nami nicknamed "Icky Aki", and his friends, crowded around a small table, drinking and smoking and talking with excessive loudness about overall stupid things. Akio was the loudest of them all, his sweaty face scrunched up with laughter. A cigar was pressed between his hairy fingers and his short black hair was beginning to fade into his side burns and beard. He was clad in a black wifebeater-style shirt and faded jeans, showing off his extremely tall and muscular appearance. As Fuu and Nami entered the loud apartment, Akio glanced up with glazed, bloodshot drunken eyes.

"Hey, dollface," Akio slurred as he rose from his chair and staggered over to Fuu before she could slide into their bedroom unnoticed. Fuu quietly told Nami to go to her room, which she obeyed with a slight amount of reluctance. She turned to face Akio, but before she could even say a word, he cornered her with her back against the wall. He leaned in close to her with a goofy smirk on his face, a bottle of gin in one hand, his other cascading down her back.

"...Hello, Akio," she said quietly, turning away from his as he pulled her close to him. He turned to one of his friends and motioned for them to turn off the music and basically get the hell out. They all caught on to the notion, and with a series of cheers and whistles at Fuu, the music subsided and the house was empty except for Fuu, Akio, and Nami, who was quietly in her room.

"Aw, c'mon Fuu, don't start with the teasing crap tonight," Akio stumbled as he took a massive swig of gin before dropping the empty bottle to the floor like the inconsiderate pig he was. His other hand now free, he held Fuu's chin in his fingers, pulling her into a harsh kiss. She was mildly stunned before eventually pulling away after a half a minute-not because she wanted the kiss, but because she was afraid of what would happen if she didn't. When she pulled away, she glared into his red eyes with hatred and disgust, to which Akio threw his head back and let out a loud cackle that made Fuu nauseous.

Saying that Fuu hated Akio would be a massive understatement. However, Akio was her only source of financial security and a home, even though she was the only one working technically. More or less, there was an unspoken deal between Akio and herself-she gave him her body and devotion as his wife, and he gave her a place to stay. And as despicable and degrading as it was to Fuu, she really had no other options-when she met Akio, she had a 3-year-old and had just lost her old house. Jin and Shino had offered to take her in, but she refused to impose on them. And thus she met Akio, who initially was a sweet, kind, amazing person to her. But this was only a twisted facade, and over the course of a few months, he began to show his true nature-an abusive drunk who basically made her entire life worse than hell itself. But she needed a place to go, and she wanted Nami to have a father figure, so if it meant a place for her and her child, Fuu would be willing to go through whatever Akio threw at her, both figuratively and literally.

Akio finished his fit of giggles with a snort. He stared into Fuu's eyes again, his neck craning down at her. He pressed against her again, pinning her between his tall body and the wall. As she turned away and tried to stare into the floor, he whispered into her ear with a raspy, wicked voice.

"Hey...don't you ever give me that damn look ever again." He grasped a fistful of her hair and pulled with full force, sending her crashing into the floor. As she stared up at him, eyes wide with more surprise than fear, he looked down at her, smiling with a condescending wild grin on his face.

"I guess you never learn, do ya Fuu?"

…...

Nami sat on her bed and looked out at the rain, which still showed no signs of slowing down. Outside of her door she could hear her mother being battered by the man she called father, though she never really saw him as her father, or connected with him as a father and daughter did. With every loud thud or sound of Akio's laughter, she felt her entire body flinch, as if she thought that the same thing was going to happen to her at any give moment. Her eyes were shut and she grasped at her blankets on her bed, trying to tune out what she was accustomed to hearing on a regular basis.

After what felt like hours, she heard Akio announce that he was going out to buy more gin, and that "his" house better be clean by the time he returns. The entire apartment vibrated as the door slammed, and a deadly silence entered as Akio exited. For a moment, Nami was holding her breath, as if her breathing would cause Akio to return. After she was sure that he was completely gone, she felt her body fall back onto her bed with a shudder as the tears began to fall from her eyes. She hated herself whenever she cried-she thought that it was only an unnecessary sign of weakness and a waste of energy-but at his point, the dam had already burst. She didn't understand the "why" or the details, but she knew that her mother was being hurt by someone who she was supposed to see as a father, simple as that. It made absolutely no sense to her whatsoever, which only made her cry even more. Through her sobs,she began to hear Fuu shuffling around outside, probably cleaning herself up and cleaning just as Akio ordered.

Frustrated, Nami let out a small cry of frustration and punched the wall, feeling a surge of pain shoot from her knuckles and up to her shoulder. Her hair had somehow broken free of its ponytail and now lung over her face and shoulders as she lay in her bed in a ball, hand hurting and eyes burning from crying. Yes, she was only eight years old, but that didn't mean that she was just an oblivious dunce who thought that everything would simply work itself out with a prayer and a wish on a star. As a final tear slid down her small face, she felt her eyes get heavy and begin to close. As she felt herself begin to cry herself to sleep, she had a small vision that a guardian angel of some sorts-immortal or human-would come and save her and her mother from this warped and evil place that was supposed to be her home. That if only someone would actually listen to a wish or a prayer rather than her just waiting for something or someone that would never show up in her life. If only someone was actually brave enough to face the monsters that tormented her life.

If only she was that someone who could defend her mother...

**A/N OK, so this is the second chapter (obviously) and probably the hardest one to write. I was kind iffy on the whole domestic abuse topic, but it was planned to begin with, and it had to be written sooner than later.**

**Oh, and does Nami remind you of someone? ;) Remember, your reviews are basically my only reason for writing, so please review, whether it be a good review or a bad review. Something is better than nothing. I'm seeking 5 reviews, but if that's too much, tell me.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I am SO SORRY for not being able to update this any sooner, school and finals was being a pain in the ass, and the two chapters that I had written in advance ended up being deleted from my computer (thanks to my little brother...), so you can guess that writing has been a bit annoying. On that note, this chapter actually mentions Jin (AMAZING, RIGHT?) and puts the entire story in motion to some degree, so enjoy! :) P.S. This chapter has a cliffhanger ending ;).**

Chapter 3: Discretion

A flash of azure shot down the road, gusting up a fierce wind and casting the smell of exhaust fumes in the air. He sped down the asphalt, forsaking his helmet and ignoring his wild hair sweeping in his face and He and His motorcycle made their way down the road. Behind Him, He saw that the men in black suits on white motorcycles chasing Him were slowly nearing closer, and He knew that He would have to fight back sooner or later. Of course, He decided to choose sooner.

In His jacket pocket, He pulled out a basic 9-millimeter pistol and, using His acquired peripheral vision and training, swung around and fired. The first shot hit the black helmet of the leader, who He came to know as Snake, sending him toppling from his bike and crashing into two others. As expected, those two also fell, leaving only two others to be dealt with. He spun back around to face the road and saw that He was approaching a nearby bridge which overpassed the river.

He felt a smirk cross his face, as he knew He could use the bridge to His best advantage. As He hoped, the two remaining assassins sped up and surrounded him on either side, one pulling out a single handed dagger. He remembered what he learned in his days as an assassin, and He always had a trick up His sleeve whenever moments like this arose. The assassin with the dagger threw it full force, expecting it to slide into his target's flesh with ease, but He saw this coming before it was even thought of. Trusting himself, he let his torso swing backwards, nearly causing his head to smack into his moving back tire. He used his abdominal muscles to meek himself from falling off his bike and watched as the assassin on his other side toppled into the river upon being killed. With a grunt, He rose back up and gripped his bike with full force, accelerating to speeds he didn't even bother caring to check. He stole a glance back and saw that the last assassin was still following closely behind, but He wasn't nervous, or even apprehensive. With a final move, He swiftly pulled a dagger from a holster in his belt and flung it. He missed the assassin himself, but instead struck the main gas tank, spilling oil and gas everywhere. The assassin's stark white bike quickly became coated in brown and black oils as he swerved, lost control, and eventually drove himself into the midnight blue darkness of the river.

With a flourish, He brought his rose red bike to a screeching stop and breathed a sigh of exasperation. _Jeez, these clowns have really gotta step their game up, _He muttered as he rummaged around in his pocket. He pulled a small piece of crumpled lined paper with an address and phone number written in blue Sharpie. A smile returned on His lips as his emotionless eyes read over the name he had come to know, and perhaps even missed in a competitive way.

In Sharpie, the name "JIN" stared back at him.

_Kyoto_

Jin lounged in his favorite reclining chair outside on his back patio, gazing up at the stars and silently sipping a small glass of his favorite sake. The simplicity of this peaceful moment almost was enough to stun him, but he was too relaxed to dwell on such thoughts.

But he did have much to think about. For starters, he thought about his beautiful twin children, Yuki (his son) and Rumi (his daughter), who would be turning six this November. He thought about his status as a widower after his love Shino passed on, a result of a car crash that couldn't have spared her. And a thought that remained in the front of his mind was Fuu. It was strange-ever since Mugen had left her, for reasons which he refused to explain to anyone, he hadn't seen her. Well, he had spoken to her over the phone on rare occasions, and they would converse over e-mail, but he hadn't seen Fuu in person in nearly a decade. What did she look like?, he wondered. Was she taller? Had she grown into the womanly figure that she would always say she wished she had? Did she still dress like a juvenile high-school aged girl?

Not that he'd ever have any romantic feelings or longings for her. That would never happen. EVER. But he would just have one less worry if she knew if she was okay, or even where she lived for that matter. He sighed and sat up, cracking his back and stretching out to head to bed for the night. But as he began to pick up the sake bottle and cups on his outdoor coffee table, he heard a knock on his door-not aggressive, but certainly sounding like whoever was knocking needed something important. Confused and irritated that someone would be pounding on the door at this time of night. His bare feet made little sound and he swiftly passed through his apartment and reached the front door, opening it with a passive indifference and exhaustion.

To this day, Jin swears that his heart literally stopped for nearly a full ten seconds when he saw that familiar face standing at his door. His face barely moved, but he felt his bespectacled eyes widen and he nearly dropped the bottle in his now sweaty hand.

_...How? _Jin thought quietly as the man before him nonchalantly picked at his fingernails and smirked at him, as if everything was fine between them. _How the hell can he just stand here and act like he's never even left? _

"Long time no see," Mugen said nonchalantly.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N **OK, so I hope that you guys enjoyed Chapter 3 (DUNDUNDUNNN!), because I had a hella lot of fun writing it. And the guy from the epic beginning sequence in that chapter...I think you can guess who that is.

[1] I had to make up Shino's last name and her age, so don't get confused by the death date and stuff.

...Crap, I think I just spoiled that part...

"Still rocking the glasses, I see," Mugen said as he leaned in the door frame. He looked different than he had eight years previous-His hair had grown out to his shoulders in a shaggy crop of brownish-black mayhem, and his gray eyes sparkled silver with more wisdom and maturity (not that he lost his natural cockiness or sarcastic speech; that would never go away). He wore a red and black striped hoodie underneath a black leather jacket, along with tattered dark jeans and red hi-tops. So maybe he didn't grow up that much, Jin thought. As he looked up at Jin and chucked at his dumbfounded face, Jin saw that his face was cut and he looked as if he had gotten into some trouble or something. Then again, this was Mugen; God knows what things he could get into.

"So, am I crashing here for the night or-"

Mugen's words were cut short by Jin's fist cracking into his jaw with a swift jab. Blood surfaced in his mouth and swirled around his taste buds as Jin stared him down with a look that said that he just might kill him.

In mild shock, Mugen shook his head slightly and rubbed his jaw, spitting out blood outside. He stared at Jin angrily, but his eyes said that he knew that he had that coming.

"OK, so I deserved that..." Mugen said slowly, moving his mouth around and trying to ignore the soreness in his face. "But don't forget..."

He finished his words by delivering a kick to Jin's chest, sending him hack a few feet and making him land on his behind on the floor with a thud. Mugen looked down at him and wiped blood from his mouth using his sleeve.

"...I'll kick your ass any day," Mugen finished with a triumphant sneer. Jin simply picked up his glasses from the floor, placed them back onto his face, and slowly rose, never taking his eyes off of Mugen. Somehow he had managed not to drop the sake bottle, so he simply placed it on the floor behind him and moved forward, ready to beat Mugen to a bloody pulp for hurting Fuu the way he did.

"Daddy?"

Before the two men could engage in a fistfight that would make Mike Tyson look like Betty White, Jin spun around to see his son Yuki gazing up at him, clad in oversized pajamas and looking at Mugen as if he were from another planet. Mugen responded with the same surprise, he never really could see Jin as a father. But the child reflected the introverted Jin almost to a T-his long raven hair was pulled into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck, and he stared at the world with that same all-knowing look that irritated Mugen almost all the time back when he and Jin spoke. The child held a book in his hand entitled "Philosophies of Confucius and Other Renowned Thinkers of Our Century", and Mugen felt that there was no chance he'd be able to teach the child to ever be anything more than a bookworm or a total geek.

Jin looked back at Mugen again with a venomous scowl of fury, but his face immediately softened to a warm smile directed towards his son. Yuki shuffled over to Jin, rubbing his eyes, and dropped his book and hugged Jin's legs, nuzzling his white band t-shirt and blue loose pants.

"Hey, kiddo," Jin said as he tousled Yuki's hair, completely losing all hatred from his tone and becoming a loving father once more. "What're you doing up so late? Is your sister awake too?"

Yuki completely missed all of Jin's questions, as he was too fascinated by the man standing in the doorway. With wide dark eyes behind his glasses, he gazed up at Mugen, and thought Mugen was giving him a stare that could've torn holes in his soul, he couldn't look away.

"This is an old friend of mine, Mugen." Technically, Jin didn't exactly lie to Yuki, but then again, he wasn't exactly telling the truth either. Mugen forced himself to give Yuki his attempt at a small smile and waved at the boy. "Hi."

Yuki stared at Mugen for another few seconds, until he finally asked something in a quiet voice. "What's wrong with your face?" he asked quietly with a small pointing motion.

Mugen clenched his sore jaw and stared the little boy down.

"Well, I think it's about time for you to go to bed now," Jin said quickly before Mugen could yell a slew of profanities at the small child. He quickly led Yuki down a hallway and towards his room, leaving Mugen to be alone.

"Little brat," he muttered. As he gazed around at Jin's upscale apartment, he really began to catch onto how much he had really missed. Looking around he saw toys and kids DVDs scattered around the living room, pictures of scribbles and fingerpaint splatters (which Mugen guessed was art or something). Figuring he already shoved his foot in his mouth far enough, he decided to invite himself in, plopping down on the blue suede couch in the living room with a sigh. Fatherhood certainly changed Jin, and it damn sure gave him a mean right hook at the right moments.

He looked at the coffee table in front of him and noticed a crystal in the shape of a rose, with a white ribbon that read "SHINO TAKAHASHI-1983-2010"[1]. He raised his brows in surprise and picked up the rose, reading the ribbon over and over again.

"You've missed a lot, Mugen."

Mugen whipped around to see Jin staring vacantly into space, fiddling with the wedding band that encircled his finger. _He's still the same lethargic bastard as before, and for good reason too. _Mugen thought as he placed the rose back in its place where he found it.

"...Look, so maybe I fucked up a tad. What do you want me to say-'Oh., _PLEAAASE _forgive me Jin the all-knowing, because I was _SOOOOO _wrong'?"

Jin stared Mugen down, as if he were reading through him like a book or a pamphlet. "You are truly the biggest idiot alive."

Resisting the urge to break Jin's nose, Mugen gritted his teeth and looked away. "I'm no here to play arguing couple with you, alright?"

"SO WHY ARE YOU HERE THEN?" The sudden loudness in Jin's tone surprised Mugen, but hardly made him flinch. Instead, he stared at Jin with a hardened scowl and used every ounce of self-restraint to keep from knocking his teeth out. 'He's acting like I didn't even want to come back,' he thought. 'That bastard...he really thinks I didn't wanna come back?'

"I'm here because I have no fucking clue where Fuu is. Any more smart questions for the day, you dick?"

Jin went to say something, but Mugen's stark honesty surprised him into silence.

"And you think I can help you?"

"Well, you're the one who's into 'female connections' and 'relating to people's feelings' and crap...You didn't sleep with her, did you?"

"NO...and I haven't seen her since you left."

Mugen rose from his seat and threw his arms up in defeat. "Well whoop-de-frickin'-doo. This was just a waste of time then-"

"Wait."

Mugen turned around and saw that Jin's face went from angry to somewhat anxious, which was rare for him. Jin stared into the floor, twiddling with a pendant around his neck. "I think...I think that something's wrong with her."

"What do you mean by 'wrong'?" Mugen was now fully facing Jin, fists clenched.

"...We should discuss this over coffee."


End file.
